Scrimmage attracts top talent

Gainesville Hurricanes safety Daron Brown tries to tackle Miami Central Rockets running back Dalvin Cook during the first half of the 6A state championship game at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012 in Orlando, Fla. The Rockets defeated the Hurricanes 37-14.

Matt Stamey/Staff photographer

By Zach AbolverdiCorrespondent

Published: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 12:32 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 12:32 p.m.

Florida won't have a traditional spring game today, but that hasn't kept some of the country's best high school football talent from making plans to be in Gainesville this weekend.

UF is expected to host more than a dozen 2014 recruits for today's Orange & Blue Debut, including nine Rivals250 members.

Three of those are verbal commitments to Florida — Davidson (N.C.) Day quarterback Will Grier, Fort Myers Dunbar receiver Ryeshene Bronson and Cross City Dixie County cornerback Duke Dawson. They will also be joined by UF offensive lineman commits Travaris Dorsey (Jacksonville Raines) and Benjamin Knox (DeLand), who both pledged to the Gators at Florida's Junior Day in February.

Dawson looks forward to spending time with his future teammates in The Swamp.

“It will be fun to hang out with the other commits at the game,” he said. “These are the guys that I'm going to play with for the next four years, so hopefully we can build some early chemistry and get a few more players to join us while we're there.”

The top targets in town will be in-state running backs Sony Michel (Plantation American Heritage) and Dalvin Cook (Miami Central), who are nationally ranked No. 5 and No. 22, respectively, by Rivals.com.

Although Cook is currently committed to Clemson, the Gators actually have a better chance with him than the undecided Michel. Cook visited UF last week, and Florida is now his second school of choice.

“I think they're going to have a great team this year and I like the direction that the program is headed,” Cook said. “I was impressed with what I saw at their practice and I'm ready to see more.”

The Gators are also hosting a handful of 2015 recruits, including receiver George Campbell (Tarpon Springs East Lake), defensive lineman CeCe Jefferson (Glen Saint Mary Baker County) and linebacker Jeffrey Holland (Jacksonville Trinity Christian). Holland is the former teammate of incoming freshman safety Nick Washington, who will be one of several 2013 signees in attendance.

<p>Florida won't have a traditional spring game today, but that hasn't kept some of the country's best high school football talent from making plans to be in Gainesville this weekend.</p><p>UF is expected to host more than a dozen 2014 recruits for today's Orange & Blue Debut, including nine Rivals250 members.</p><hr/>
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<hr /><p>Three of those are verbal commitments to Florida — Davidson (N.C.) Day quarterback Will Grier, Fort Myers Dunbar receiver Ryeshene Bronson and Cross City Dixie County cornerback Duke Dawson. They will also be joined by UF offensive lineman commits Travaris Dorsey (Jacksonville Raines) and Benjamin Knox (DeLand), who both pledged to the Gators at Florida's Junior Day in February. </p><p>Dawson looks forward to spending time with his future teammates in The Swamp.</p><p>“It will be fun to hang out with the other commits at the game,” he said. “These are the guys that I'm going to play with for the next four years, so hopefully we can build some early chemistry and get a few more players to join us while we're there.”</p><p>The top targets in town will be in-state running backs Sony Michel (Plantation American Heritage) and Dalvin Cook (Miami Central), who are nationally ranked No. 5 and No. 22, respectively, by Rivals.com.</p><p>Although Cook is currently committed to Clemson, the Gators actually have a better chance with him than the undecided Michel. Cook visited UF last week, and Florida is now his second school of choice.</p><p>“I think they're going to have a great team this year and I like the direction that the program is headed,” Cook said. “I was impressed with what I saw at their practice and I'm ready to see more.”</p><p>Some other visitors scheduled to be on hand are fullback Cortavious Givens (St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut Academy), receivers Artavis Scott (Tarpon Springs East Lake) and Moral Stephens (Perry Taylor County), defensive tackles Khairi Clark (Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna) and Lamont Gaillard (Fayetteville, N.C./Pine Forest), linebacker Jacob Pugh (Tallahassee Godby) and Immokalee athlete J.C. Jackson, a Florida State commitment. </p><p>The Gators are also hosting a handful of 2015 recruits, including receiver George Campbell (Tarpon Springs East Lake), defensive lineman CeCe Jefferson (Glen Saint Mary Baker County) and linebacker Jeffrey Holland (Jacksonville Trinity Christian). Holland is the former teammate of incoming freshman safety Nick Washington, who will be one of several 2013 signees in attendance.</p>